Day 7: Hissy Fit

Day 7 miles to/from work: 26.8
Total miles for S4S: 197.2 

Perhaps it's boring from the reading side to hear about yet another late-summer morning with sunny skies and pleasant temps, but from the riding side I am glorying in it. Every sun ray is a gift.

Yesterday Madison was the site of Ironman Wisconsin, affectionately known as IM-Moo in these here parts. This triathlon event entails 140.6 consecutive, self-propelled miles undertaken by 2600 athletes as they swim 2.4 miles, bike 112, and run a full marathon (26.2 miles). Several of my friends crossed that finish line last night, some of them not for the first time. Although several of you kind supporters have expressed admiration that I'm putting in the Sweatin' 4 Shelter bike miles, I'm kind of "Base Metal Girl" or "Aluminum Chick" compared to these IronFolk. BUT... (and that's a big butt... er... but), who's comparing? We all are where we are right this minute, and it really doesn't much matter how it compares to anyone else. What does matter is what you and I are doing right now to be healthy and fit and meet our personal goals.

I'm proposing hissy fit. That usually connotes a flash-fire burst of temper, but in my book it describes being fit with the "It's MY fitness and health, by God, not some 19-year-old super model's or anyone else's" attitude.

If you've already got an exercise plan workin' for you, you're golden. U go! However, if punching the buttons on the remote control  has begun to feel like overwhelming exertion, it's time to make some changes. I was a couch potato until I was 30, so it's been awhile since I started putting in the miles; but I still remember clearly what worked and what didn't. Based on that first-hand experience, I offer the following suggestions:

What floats your boat?
Figure out what you like to do to move your body, or can at least tolerate. Walking? Hoisting some light dumbbells? (I am not referring to your children, but that could be an option as well.) Handball? Belly dancing? Go wild. Be Madonna and dance in your underwear. (You may want to avoid public places for this particular workout.) The library (free! free! free!) offers a wealth of books and videos so you can audition any number of possibilities.

Plan
Plan to start small and slow. This is not the time for extreme-miracle-overnight-transformation that at best could demoralize you and at worst land you in the ER. I love the story of Rosalie Bradford; and when I'm thinking maybe I'll just skip exercise today, or I'm plodding along some course at a glacial pace feeling like an under-achiever, I think of Rosalie. In 1987 she weighed almost 1200 pounds and had been bed-ridden for 8 years. A concerned friend called Richard Simmons; he called Rosalie and talked to her at length. He sent her some videos and a food plan. Rosalie jumped right out of that bed and started sweatin' to the oldies with Simmons. Oh wait... not exactly. The woman could barely move. At first the only thing she could do was clap her hands along with the videos. She did what she could at that moment, and she persisted until she could do more. Rosalie still holds the world record for having lost the most weight by a woman. Start where you are.

Plan some more
Plan your workouts. (Or as Jillian Michaels says, "Fail to plan/plan to fail." That's so negative, but unfortunately true.) Even if it's 5-10 minutes, put it on your calendar. Then do it.

Keep doing it
Do more as you can. More intensity, more exertion, over longer time periods. Build up gradually. Sensibly. Make it a balanced part of your life.

Do I practice what I preach? Yeah, usually. Always? Oh, hell no. Sometimes I skip workouts. (Note: Sweatin' 4 Shelter is not just a workout—it's a mission. I do not skip.) As for being sensible or balanced (or not), I've done five marathons; and I dream of doing Ironman someday. That's when what I  started doing for my health becomes its own disease.

As for our regularly scheduled programming: It was a gorgeous ride home. I basked in the knowledge that in the world of heavy metals, I'm building Ironthighs and Buns of Steel. Not bad for an old broad who is proud to be Hissy Fit!